As Aunts Go
by castor442
Summary: When Cersei's long arm of diabolism almost claims Jon's life, Daenerys' takes a risk that could very well be her undoing.


_**Disclaimer: Nothing about game of thrones is mine. Don't bother suing.**_

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_**As Aunts Go**_

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Everyone was reeling in Winterfell the first few days after the army of the dead were defeated. They had hope, sure, and that hope was renewed with Daenerys' dragons but most of them hadn't expected to survive the battle, and reality was taking some time to sink in. Clean up was underway, the dead being buried instead of burned this time, though the remaining Dothraki still burned theirs. Jon and Dany were still awkward around each other, and people were starting to notice. The battle had provided the perfect distraction for their situation, but now it was over, and anytime either of them noticed someone about to start to question them about it, they made a hasty retreat. They knew they couldn't avoid it forever, but at the moment it seemed like the right thing to do.

Jon almost envied the people who were in charge of digging graves. They had things to do to keep themselves preoccupied. Being a Lord or whatever the hell he was now meant he couldn't distract himself with that, and he **needed** a distraction. That was why he was the first to leap up when volunteers were called to help clean up one of the villages down the hill.

"We can't let you do that your grace" a soldier muttered into the silence that followed Jon's proclamation

"It's not your grace anymore, lieutenant' he corrected softly. "And I don't have to do anything, I'll just sit if you want me to but I need to get some air" he added, desperate

The soldier looked confused, as did everyone else in the vicinity, who were not even making a pretense of not listening in. "But, your grace…My Lord" he corrected. "It's…just…I can't…" the poor guy stuttered

"It's an order" Jon emphasized. "Please" he added a few seconds later, before promptly marching past the still flustered soldier. "I'll wait outside"

Daenerys took one look at his retreating back before stalking off in the opposite direction. Immediate hoofbeats suggested Jon didn't wait, and a few moments later, flapping of giant wings and screeching could be heard and her silver hair flashed briefly as her dragon flew overhead.

"That was odd" Tyrion commented

"Which part?" Sansa asked

"She was riding Rhaegal"

* * *

Daenerys thought long and hard as the frigid winds bit into her face. She didn't know how to feel about Jon Snow's new status as heir to the Iron Throne. She wanted to disbelieve it but deep down, she knew it was true. Her dragons had bonded with him incredibly fast, while they were still getting used to some of her trusted counsel she had been travelling with for quite some time. Perhaps they were drawn to the Targaryen blood running through his veins. On some level, Dany knew she should be angry; she had spent so many years suffering and working very hard to reclaim what was hers but she wasn't. She wondered if Daario Naharis had been right, if she was more conqueror than queen. Not finding any answers high up in the air like she hoped, she huffed and turned back to Winterfell.

It was coming up to lunch by the time she arrived at the Stark home, and ignored the strange looks she was receiving as she made straight to the room she occupied in the castle. The night walkers were gone, and she would need to start working again on her march against King's Landing. Word would have reached Cersei by now about their victory. There was a short knock on her door before Arya Stark stepped in.

"What is happening with Jon?" she asked. Dany liked Arya. She was always straightforward

"I don't know what you mean"

"Yes, you do. You can't stand each other, though there's no animosity. It is more awkward than anything. He steps in a room, you step out and vice versa. You both took off today under strange circumstances. Are you shy because you slept with him?" Daenerys looked startled. "No, that's not it. Its something else. I can't quite put my finger on…" the bells tolling interrupted her. She stared at the dragon queen a moment longer before leaving the room

Daenerys followed at a more respectable pace, though at the sight of a familiar horse without a rider, she was sprinting in a very unqueenly manner down the stairs and into the courtyard. "This is Jon's horse. Where is he?"

"It came back without a rider, Your Grace" a stable hand answered. "And this" he added, delivering a letter to Daenerys.

She took it and examined it, pausing at the lion on the seal and sparing Tyrion and Jaime a glance. They were among those who had gathered in the courtyard, and were now keenly anticipating the contents of the letter. Dany broke the seal and unfolded the letter.

_**A long farewell**_

"What did you say?" Jaime Lannister spoke suddenly, before striding over and ripping the letter out of her hand, unfazed by the unsullied sudden spear lifts or the Dothraki standing as he approached their queen. He read the three words on the page again, then raised his head. "We need to find Jon Snow. Now"

"What does it mean?" Sansa asked

"It's a poison from Dorne" Arya answered. "And it doesn't kill quickly"

Tormund jumped on a horse. "Clegane, you're coming with me. We'll find him"

"I'm coming too" Daenerys announced

"No, Your Grace. You can't go" Tyrion said, blocking her path at the same time that Clegane grumbled "It's too fucking dangerous. Protect your queen" to Grey Worm, before riding off with the wildling

"He's right, my Queen. Whoever did this may still be out there" Missandei said

"Or they could be here" Daenerys said, making an attempt to mount a horse, only to find her path blocked by Grey Worm and six unsullied. "Get out of my way!" she came as close to growling as a queen could

"It is my duty to protect you my Queen" Grey Worm said, standing resolute. "I cannot let you leave"

Dany was frustrated. "You don't understand. He's…very important to me" she said, her pause noticed by everyone present.

"Cersei poisoned Jon all the way from King's Landing?" Sansa didn't know why she was still surprised by the dark machinations of Cersei Lannister after what she'd been through at her hands. "Is there a cure?"

"There is. But if Jon's been poisoned, he won't get it fast enough" Lord Varys explained

Dany seethed as she paced. They knew she and the king in the north had gotten close but this, this felt personal. She rounded on Jaime and Tyrion. "Your sister did this. If that boy dies, I will give her a death that will last for a lifetime" she threatened, livid. "What is taking so long? How far out did he ride?"

Like those were magic words, hoofbeats signaled the return of Clegane and Tormund, the former cradling a bundle in front that everyone knew was Jon Snow even if they couldn't see him. When they finally dismounted, the Hound picked the small bundle up in a bridal carry, passing all the concerned people in the courtyard who seemed to have forgotten it was the middle of winter. Jaime took one look at Jon's purple face and shook his head. "That is not _the long farewell"_

Jon was wheezing and clawing at his throat, the scratch marks there suggesting he had been doing it for quite some time. He was both choking and not quite choking, and he breathed with great difficulty. Reflexive tears of pain streamed down his face, and he latched onto Dany's hand hard. Sansa felt a pang of jealousy that he had chosen the girl for comfort, never mind that she was closer to him than her.

"What?"

"This is similar to what Olenna Tyrrell gave to Joffrey. She told me she didn't know how the poison worked but he was dead in a minute" Jaime explained further. "I don't understand. Jon should be dead by now"

"He will be dead by morning" the healer who had been examining the poor boy said. "His throat would be closing bit by bit until it finally cuts off all his air".

Daenerys looked up at him, then down at Jon Snow struggling to draw breath, and then she stormed out, angrily swiping at her wet cheeks. Her advisers watched her leave, opting to give her some space to process the information.

"Cersei's a fucking cunt" Sandor Clegane spoke in his gruff matter-of-fact voice. "She wanted him to suffer, and she wanted you to see. Whether you wait for him to die or you put him out of his misery, either way, she wins"

"Are you suggesting we kill him?" Sansa asked

"It may be the most merciful thing to do at the moment" Arya stated somberly. "We don't have a cure. Jon would still die. At least this way, we spare him the pain"

Sansa was aghast. "We're not killing my brother"

"No, we are not" Daenerys stated as she marched back into the room, a determined look on her face. "We're going to burn the bloody poison out of him"

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There was complete silence after her proclamation as what she meant was processed individually. Tyrion was the first to speak, intelligent as he was.

"You don't mean…"

"I do" she cut in. "Fire burns out infections, I've seen it done before"

"Your Grace, this is not an infection. He's been poisoned. You'd have to set him on fire, and that will kill him"

"You want to light him up? I thought you said the Mad King's daughter wasn't mad" the Hound said.

"He's dying anyway, what's it matter?" Dany countered

"You do realize we are contemplating killing him to put him out of his misery, not add to it?" Clegane continued

"If it doesn't work, he'll be dead too soon for any pain to register" the dragon queen said before nodding to one of the Dothraki. "Bring him to me (Dothraki)"

Arya stepped in front of the Dothraki, Needle raised defensively. "You touch my brother and it will be the last thing you do" she threatened calmly

"Your Grace, I'm sure there are less painful ways of putting Lord Snow out of his misery" Lord Varys started

"He won't die. He's a dragon" Dany intoned. "And he's not your brother"

Ser Davos stalked forward. "What do you mean?"

Bran chose that time to speak. "Jon is not a bastard, he has never been. He's the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and my aunt Lyanna Stark"

Another long stretch of silence. "But Rhaegar kidnapped and raped your aunt" Jamie said, shocked and confused

Bran shook his head. "No. They were married. His real name is Aegon Targaryen"

"Wait, then that would mean…"

"Yes Tyrion. He's the heir to the Iron Throne" Daenerys cut in. "I found out just before the battle and I didn't know how to feel about it. I didn't know if I wanted to contest him for the throne but I don't care about that now. Daario was right, I'm more conqueror than queen. For so long I've been the only Targaryen left and now I'm not. He's the only family I have left and Cersei Lannister is not taking him from me. I will give him the seven kingdoms and seat him on that Iron Throne if it's the last thing I do" she paused, then looked up at the handful of people in the room. "I am taking him and I am burning that poison out of him. If he's a true Targaryen, he has nothing to fear from the flames"

"And what if he's not?" Tormund asked

"He. Is" the mother of dragons emphasized. She nodded to the Dothraki again and this time when he moved to pick up Jon, there was no interference. She took of her coat, and sat on the ground, gathering Jon into her arms. Her dragons, as if sensing Jon's imminent death and their mother's need for them, gave a loud roar as they flew overhead before settling on opposite roofs.

"Your Grace, please reconsider…"

_Dracarys_

Everyone took rapid steps back as Drogon and Rhaegal breathed fire onto the two huddled in the courtyard. Despite most of them having seen the dragons in action, it was still quite a sight. It was over in a few moments, and all that was left was a charred ground and fire burning in small clamps. Everyone waited anxiously for the smoke to clear, and when it did, the first thing they saw was the distinctive white of Daenerys' hair. As it became clearer however, a darker crown of hair became visible. Jon was curled, unmoving in Daenerys' very protective hold, visibly unburnt and breathing back to normal.

"It worked" Tormund whispered in shock. "It bloody worked"

Ser Davos removed his cloak and covered the conspicuously very naked duo in the middle of the flames, noticing Jon peacefully sleeping. He realized the one cloak was not enough as Jon had to be moved. Lady Brienne moved forward as if sensing his conundrum, and laid her cloak on Daenerys. "Let me take him, Your Grace" she offered

Dany looked uncertain for a moment, before she relaxed her grip and allowed Lady Brienne to take him up to his room. She gathered the cloak tightly around herself, and slowly pushed herself to her feet. The still shell-shocked people in the courtyard numbly fell to their knees before her, even Sansa. Her dragons roared loudly on both sides of her as she stared determinedly into the distance.

A few people felt a pang of pity for Cersei Lannister in that moment.

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_I just had this silly idea after Jon couldn't look Dany in the face when he found out she was his aunt and he was heir to the Iron Throne. __**The guy slept with his aunt**__, come on, there's bound to be some awkwardness. Anyway, this is my first Game of Thrones fic, and quite possibly the last, so be gentle._


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